I can't find it, but somewhere in this thread or perhaps another HM-801 thread, I recall reading where someone found a maximum number of files, but maybe that was total number of files in a single folder. I don't know. In any case, if it works for you but not for me (except when the 64GB card is far from full), my unit must be defective. The list of "limitations" just keeps getting longer, while the clock ticks on my ability to return it under their 30-day policy.

My biggest problem at the moment is that I've found workarounds for all the most annoying issues and have actually started to enjoy the music! Which, as I'm sure it has done to many other HM-801 owners, pacifies me into inaction. To one degree or another, we've all learned to "enable" these handicapped machines, lowering our expectations, just to have access to the good sound.

I can't find it, but somewhere in this thread or perhaps another HM-801 thread, I recall reading where someone found a maximum number of files, but maybe that was total number of files in a single folder. I don't know. In any case, if it works for you but not for me (except when the 64GB card is far from full), my unit must be defective. The list of "limitations" just keeps getting longer, while the clock ticks on my ability to return it under their 30-day policy.

My biggest problem at the moment is that I've found workarounds for all the most annoying issues and have actually started to enjoy the music! Which, as I'm sure it has done to many other HM-801 owners, pacifies me into inaction. To one degree or another, we've all learned to "enable" these handicapped machines, lowering our expectations, just to have access to the good sound.

Mike

I personally don't like anything bigger than 32sgb my self, they seem to be the best value as far as price and memory. Granted 64gb is cheaper per Gb but I can never wait to save up for one xD

I can't find it, but somewhere in this thread or perhaps another HM-801 thread, I recall reading where someone found a maximum number of files, but maybe that was total number of files in a single folder. I don't know. In any case, if it works for you but not for me (except when the 64GB card is far from full), my unit must be defective. The list of "limitations" just keeps getting longer, while the clock ticks on my ability to return it under their 30-day policy.

My biggest problem at the moment is that I've found workarounds for all the most annoying issues and have actually started to enjoy the music! Which, as I'm sure it has done to many other HM-801 owners, pacifies me into inaction. To one degree or another, we've all learned to "enable" these handicapped machines, lowering our expectations, just to have access to the good sound.

Mike

I've had mine for a few years now, and have always used it only with 32GB Kingston SDHC cards. I feed it FLAC files (44.1/16 - ripped CD's from my music collection). It has always worked well - very few glitches - and sounds great. No popping either, BUT I use it exclusively as a transport/DAC to feed other amps (both portable and semi-portable).

You've been doing exactly what I've ended up doing. And I, too, will be using it primarily for card reader to Line Out - perhaps with the amp board removed, if testing reveals this saves power (and reduce heat).

This [dual 9V alkaline battery rig] is only a prototype that I wouldn't bother using in the field, as the battery capacity is too limited. I have not yet tested this cabling with two Anker Astro3 batteries (I have to buy a second one if I decide to go ahead with this):

This wouldn't exactly be "portable," but it could be considered "transportable" - for extended play in the absence of AC outlets.

I suspect a single Anker Astro 3 could be used by employing blocking diodes to prevent the two circuits from seeing each other...

Wrong!

Thanks to Brunk's suggestion to research this with the folks at DIYaudio, we've determined that two 9V batteries are needed because (I've deduced this by taking resistance measurements of the AC adapter's connector plugs)... the HM-801 pulls 18V for one circuit (batteries in series) and 9V for another (batteries in parallel).

So, my friends, whatever you try to pull together in the way of an external power supply, you will need TWO independent 9VDC battery packs, as I had hoped to avoid.

But here's the good news: You can buy two (2) Anker Astro 3 for $110 and enjoy at least 5x the play time (20,000 mAh vs. 4,000 mAh) for only 1/3 the cost ($110 vs. $80 x 4). Four additional HiFiMan HM-801 batteries (totaling 20,000 mAH with the original) would cost $320 vs. $110 to achieve the same play time.

I still haven't tried this, and readers beware, you have to wire one 9V battery to the two connector tips and the other battery to the two connector barrels, checking polarities of both, as shown in my earlier posts. You also have to connect the two batteries serially, but I'm not going to document the schematic for that just yet because I haven't tested it. Proceed at you own risk - I'm just reporting what I know for sure.

Any way to have something that can fit inside the battery compartment? It would be much better for portable use.

For that, I'd recommend cutting open an original battery and trying to replicate it. You would have to use two, 3-cell LiPo packs that have the same specifications and shape as the original packs. It would be a lot of work - a lot more work than my idea for creating a cable to attach external batteries.

The best bet if you want extended portable play with no external battery is just to buy and carry some more of the original $80 HiFiMan batteries. I doubt that anyone will ever offer a substitute internal battery, as it's really two batteries inside one case - very odd.